The Camosun College Chargers are going for gold at the 2020 Canadian Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) women’s volleyball championships in Quebec. The team headed to Quebec on Sunday and is scheduled to play their first game against Élans de Garneau, the championship hosts, in the quarter-final round on March 12.
The Chargers currently rank seventh in the CCAA championship, making them the underdog against Élans de Garneau ranked as third in the championship.
“Quebecois fans are known for their enthusiasm and Quebec City has a lot of quality volleyball being played in it,” says head coach Brent Hall.
Happy International Women’s Day and safe travels to our @Camosun Chargers WVB Team who leave for Nationals today!
— Camosun Chargers (@CamosunChargers) March 8, 2020
Find out what they’re most excited about!
The @CCAAsportsACSC Championship runs March 11-14 in Quebec City. https://t.co/Ea4REytZqx#IWD2020 #GenerationEquality pic.twitter.com/gLArmDSMW5
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This will be the first time since 2016 that the team will be in the CCAA national tournament. The team won the silver medal in its last CCAA national championship. Although the team has been preparing all week, Hall says preparation has not been business as usual but the factors that make the tournament different from the regular season are external and out of their control. Hall says the team will rely on their skills and talent to carry them throughout the championship.
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“The only things that are in their control are the skills and tactics we’ve been working on all season. So in that sense, playing at nationals is no different than playing through the regular season,” Hall says. The adjustments the team has made in preparation are strategic to the teams they are competing against in the tournament.
Although this will be Hall’s first time coaching in a national championship he is no stranger to the national stage as he has competed in three national championships as an athlete. “Although I have never coached at a CCAA championship, it’s an environment I am familiar with and comfortable in.”
Fans can watch the live webcast as the Chargers begin their quest for CCAA gold on Thursday, March 12 at 3 p.m.
sarah.schuchard@saanichnews.com
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